COOL. I myself just ordered RV-7 preview plans.

Why did you go with the "A" model?

Have fun!! Look forward to seeing your updates.

I hope you get it done in time for you to give me a flight.

Originally Posted by rnav

I have been looking at them at Barnstormers.com. How wide is that cockpit? is it wider that a Cessna 152? I'll be watching the thread.
Thanks for the show.

43", or five inches wider than a 152 at the shoulders. I flew with a pretty big demo pilot and we both fit comfortably in the plane.

Originally Posted by teookie

COOL. I myself just ordered RV-7 preview plans.

Why did you go with the "A" model?

Have fun!! Look forward to seeing your updates.

Lower insurance premiums and I'd like to be able to see where I'm going on the ground. The last thing I need is some sort of runway incursion at a busy airport because the nose was blocking my view. The wider cowl of the -7 sounded like it would be a pain to see where I'm going. The narrow cowl of the -4 or -8 would be much easier to deal with. Not that I'm that excited about the nosewheel, as it seems a good number of -6s and -7s with nosewheels have ended up on their back after the nose gear broke. Hopefully that was just a case of poor pilot technique that contributed to those incidents.

If I am not mistaken they have made a recall/mod that is suppose to fix the nose gear collapse problem,

They do have a mod out but it still happens on occasion.

Totally awesome, subscribed!

just seen this thread, didnt realize you started on it already, subscribed!

very cool, I always liked the looks of the 4 and 8 for the bubble canopy, there is a 7 based off the tiny grass airpark just up the road from my house, best of luck!
mike

My dad and I spent 4 years building our RV7A. It was originally powered by a subaru 4cyl engine but the last flight of that enigne was on its 1yr anaversery. Had 247.3 hrs on it in exactly 1 yr. We had found a deal on a Mattituck io360 and bought it. Just had to many things to be reliable with the subaru. Now almost to the two year mark it has over 360hrs. Lots of fun. We went with the tricicle because we land on many very narrow runways and is easier to keep streight in a crosswind. Most of the nose gear failures happen on a grass runway where the pilot let the nose gear drop a little hard and it hit a pothole and folded. The mod just raises the nut on the nosegear a few inches. Happy building.

Ryan,
My dad built an RV-4 when I was a kid. He flew it for 12 or 13 years before selling it. He kept it at Arlington and flew formation and aerobatics with the Blackjack Squadron all the time (maybe you've heard of them ?). I even did the overhaul on the engine while I was in A&P school. We had lots of fun with that plane. RV's are awsome! Have fun!

the blackjacks are still flying around here.

Originally Posted by JohnVH

the blackjacks are still flying around here.

Oh, yeah. There are quite a few of them around these days. My dad still hangs out with them regularly. Sometimes they toss him the keys to one of thier planes, just so he can stay current. He doesn't do much formation flying with them these days though. I sure do miss that. You think RC huckin' is fun? You should try flying close formation aerobatics or a friendly dogfight pulling some G's! That was my childhood!

Ive flown aerobatics and some formation (even as a passenger in a T6), its neat, but watching from the ground is boring though.

Originally Posted by JohnVH

Ive flown aerobatics and some formation (even as a passenger in a T6), its neat, but watching from the ground is boring though.

Oh, I agree. Watching definately is boring if you've flown along. I spent much of my childhood in the back seat of RV-4s; my dad's and other Blackjacks. We even took it to Oshkosh when I was 14. (Que the cheesy memory flashback scene and corny music)